Stop forcing congregants to speak in tongues

True Gospel with SAVIOUS-PARKER KWINIKA
MY spirit weeps deeply each time during my global travels when I see deafening ignorance how believers today misinterpret, confuse or misconstrue Jehovah God’s Holy Spirit and how it works.

I have travelled the length and breadth of our beloved, expansive African continent.

I have also been to America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East during my tour of duty as a journalist. There, I have also witnessed similar crisis.

Hence, the Lord Almighty Jehovah God has this week again allowed me to dwell on the teaching of Receiving Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tongues.

As I write this, a new crop of Pentecostal churches mushrooming across Africa, is found wanting on how the true Holy Spirit of Jehovah God works.

When the true Holy Spirit of Jehovah God comes upon individuals, especially to those that baptized in both water and spirit, they can speak in tongues.

Speaking in tongues cannot be forced or taught. It comes when the Holy Spirit comes upon worshipping Jehovah God in spirit.

Congregants would start speaking in tongues without being compelled by pastors, prophets or church founders.

Speaking in tongues happens simultaneously in the church when the Holy Spirit has befallen congregants. It happens as the Holy Spirit fills individuals who have been born again.

No one can teach this.

It is a gift of God.

Strangely, some religious leaders today, especially in the emerging Pentecostal churches, force their congregants to speak in tongues even if the Holy Spirit has yet befallen them.

Congregants who do not speak in tongues are seen paraded in front of fellow worshippers and taught how to speak in tongues. That is wrong and overzealous.

When the True Holy Spirit of Jehovah God fills individuals, they will always receive power. Such believers become witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is not forced.

Acts 1:8confirms this True Gospelwhen Jesus says: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

For the benefit of those that are still new believers or ‘baby Christians’, the Holy Spirit was first prophesied by one of the Old Testament prophets, called Joel.

Join me in the book of Joel 2:28 of the New Living Translation version. Here, Jehovah God himself confirms: “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.”

29-30: “In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants–men and women alike. And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth–blood and fire and columns of smoke.”

Fellow brethren and sisters in the Lord, hear me well, correcting the wrongs that are happening in our churches regarding Holy Spirit is purely sharing of wisdom so that each one of us enjoys the true benefits of Jehovah God’s Holy Spirit.

Always remember, I’m not scared of criticising as I’m truly convinced my motive is to help, not to humiliate.

I’m not ashamed of sharing this important message with elders, pastors and church founders. I do so without undermining anybody but edifying the work of Jehovah God in truth and spirit.

Forcing congregants to speak in tongues must be stopped forthwith. If we remain silent, we risk having churches full of pretenders speaking in tongues without the true Holy Spirit of Jehovah God.

Acts 2:4confirms that speaking tongues cannot be imposed. It reads, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

The New Living Translation reads: “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

Here, we do not read about apostles teaching others to speak in tongues. It is contrary to what we are witnessing in our various churches across the world today.

Further in the book of Acts 10:46-47of the New Living Translation, “For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

Ephesians 5:18-20 teaches us: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Parents, brothers and sisters, as we worship Jehovah God is truth and spirit, we always receive different gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Some in the church receive the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues without being shown visions. Others receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to heal and cure the sick while others have power to drive out demons or unclean spirits.

One of my greatest evangelists of all times, Apostle Paul of Tarsus, teaches us in the book of 1 Corinthians 12:1-12 (English Standard Version) 1. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.

2. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.

3. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

4. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;

5. and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;

6. and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

7, to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

8, for no one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

9, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

10, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

“11. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12, For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”

What I like most about the gift of Holy Spirit, which Jesus Christ promised to his disciples before ascending into heaven, is said in the book of Luke 10:19 of the Berean Study Bible: “See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.”

HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT USES BELIEVERS AND COMMUNICATES
There are indeed different ways in which the Holy Spirit will always use to communicate to us.

When one has Holy Spirit, he or she has the ‘Inner Witness’, which is the deep knowing of secret things. Automatically, such believers with the Holy Spirit know very well the Word of God, coupled with new ‘leadings’ of the Spirit.

When Holy Spirit enables believers to have visions, dreams, prophecies, check in your Spirit against wickedness and quickening.

THE BENEFITS OF HOLY SPIRIT?

There are so many befits of the Holy Spirit to believers. According to the book of Romans 8:26-27, some include:

1. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

2. The Holy Spirit seeks to bring greater glory to the Lord through every believer. Jesus said, “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” (John 16:14)Ask the Lord to help you give God greater glory through the Holy Spirit working to illuminate, manifest and clarify all of God’s will and blessings for your life.

3. The Holy Spirit intercedes for believers in ways that He pleads our concerns to the heavenly Father. Paul wrote, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans. 8:26)Ask the Lord to help you gain greater reliance on the Spirit to plead your case to the heavenly Father for all of your needs, goals and problems.

4. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt. Jesus said, “When he comes, the Spirit will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me.” (John 16:8,9) Ask the Lord to help you become more reliant on the Spirit to bring conviction to yourself and those around you so that you are less judgmental.

5. The Holy Spirit guides believers into truth. Jesus said, “But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13)Ask the Lord to help you be given all spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding of truth that will enable you to bear fruit in every good work while increasing in the knowledge of God. Remember, all truth is God’s truth.